My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (Available from 12 January)

David Letterman, the longest-serving host in U.S. late night television – the original host of Late Night (NBC) and The Late Show (CBS) – is out of retirement and returning to television with a six-episode, 60-minute Netflix talk show series, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. The first episode will stream on Friday, January 12, and a new episode will be made available each subsequent month in 2018. Dave’s lineup of influential guests includes George Clooney, Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z, Tina Fey, Howard Stern and President Barack Obama. President Barack Obama will be Letterman’s first guest on January 12 and the interview will serve as Obama’s first television talk show appearance since leaving office. Produced by RadicalMedia and Letterman’s Worldwide Pants, Incorporated, for Netflix, each 60-minute episode of My Next Guest is centred around one extraordinary figure whom Dave finds fascinating. In interviews that take place both inside and outside a studio setting, the conversations are intimate, in-depth and far-reaching, with the levity and humour Dave’s fans know and love.

The BFG (Now Streaming)

Ten-year-old Sophie is in for the adventure of a lifetime when she meets the Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance). Naturally scared at first, the young girl soon realizes that the 24-foot behemoth is actually quite gentle and charming. As their friendship grows, Sophie’s presence attracts the unwanted attention of Bloodbottler, Fleshlumpeater and other giants. After traveling to London, Sophie and the BFG must convince Queen Victoria to help them get rid of all the bad giants once and for all.

Star Trek Discovery (New Episodes every Monday)

Star Trek: Discovery will follow the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new lifeforms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. Star Trek, one of the most iconic and influential global television franchises, returns to television 50 years after it first premiered with Star Trek: Discovery. The series will feature a new ship, new characters and new missions, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers. New Star Trek Discovery episodes premiere on Netflix at 8am (Irish time ) every Monday morning, following the US episode broadcast on CBS.

The Polka King (Available from 12 January)

Local Pennsylvania polka legend Jan Lewan develops a plan to get rich that shocks his fans and lands him in jail. This exuberant tragicomedy recounts the remarkable but true story of the rise and fall of Polish émigré Jan Lewan (Jack Black), from striving tchotchke shop owner in the ’70s to the undisputed “King of Pennsylvania Polka” in the early ’90s. Lewan pursued the American Dream by any means necessary, fleecing investors and bribing officials to build a personal musical empire in what became the world’s only known Polka Ponzi scheme. Swept up by Lewan’s charismatic charm are his devoted wife, Marla (Jenny Slate), and his neurotic sidekick, Mickey (Jason Schwartzman).

Pride (Available from 12 January)

It’s the summer of 1984 – Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support. But the activists are not deterred. They decide to ignore the Union and go direct to the miners. They identify a mining village in deepest Wales and set off in a mini bus to make their donation in person. And so begins the extraordinary story of two seemingly alien communities who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership.

Tom Segura: Disgraceful (Available from 12 January)

Comic Tom Segura takes no prisoners in his return with his Netflix Original Stand-up comedy special, “Tom Segura: Disgraceful.” Filmed in front of a packed audience at the Paramount Theatre in Denver, Segura unapologetically calls it like he sees it as he reflects on the meaning of life, the different ways that fast food chains shame you, and why having a baby is the most selfish thing you can do.

The Jane Austen Book Club (Available from 12 January)

Six Californians (Maria Bello, Amy Brenneman, Emily Blunt) form a book club devoted to studying the works of the 19th-century author. As each deals with life’s assorted challenges, she or he finds unexpected similarities and wisdom within the pages of Austen’s witty prose.

Crazy Ex Girlfriend Season 1-3 (New Episodes Every Saturday)

Successful and driven, Rebecca Bunch seemingly has it all — an upscale apartment in Manhattan and a partnership at a prestigious law firm — but she feels like something is missing. After a chance meeting with a former romantic interest, Rebecca impulsively decides to give up her life in New York and relocate to West Covina, Calif., a Los Angeles suburb she hopes will be the perfect home base as she embarks on a quest for love, adventure and true happiness. Star Rachel Bloom also serves as an executive producer.

Disjointed: Part 2 (Available from 12 January)

Pot activist Ruth Whitefeather runs a medical marijuana dispensary while encouraging her loyal patients to chill out and enjoy the high life.

Somebody Feed Phil (Available from 12 January)

The new original documentary series from the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, takes viewers on a goodwill eating tour of the world (Tel Aviv, Lisbon, Saigon, Mexico City, New Orleans and Bangkok.) Along for the ride are Phil’s friends, family and his trademark sense of humour.

Grimm: Season 6 (Available from 10 January)

Following the massacre in Nick’s loft, Capt. Renard is hell bent on eliminating him once and for all. Hank and Wu head back to the precinct to keep an eye on the Captain and help give the gang the upper hand. Meanwhile, Monroe and Rosalee grapple with staying in Portland now that their family will be expanding. Elsewhere, Eve suffers the side effects of the mysterious stick’s healing power.

Dayveon (Available from 11 January)

Struggling with his older brother’s death, 13-year-old Dayveon spends the sweltering summer days roaming the streets of his rural Arkansas town. With no parents and few role models, he soon falls in with a local gang. Though his sister’s boyfriend tries to provide stability and comfort as a reluctant father figure, Dayveon becomes increasingly drawn into the camaraderie and violence of his new world.

No Good Deed (Available from 12 January)

Terri (Taraji P. Henson), a devoted wife and mother of two, lives an ideal life that takes a dramatic turn when her home and children are threatened by Colin (Idris Elba), a charming stranger who smooth-talks his way into her house, claiming car trouble. The unexpected invitation leaves her and her family terrorized and fighting for survival.

Good Time (Available from 11 January)

After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Constantine “Connie” Nikas (Robert Pattinson) embarks on a twisted odyssey through the city’s underworld in an increasingly desperate—and dangerous—attempt to get his brother Nick (Benny Safdie) out of jail. Over the course of one adrenalized night, Connie finds himself on a mad descent into violence and mayhem as he races against the clock to save his brother and himself, knowing their lives hang in the balance.

Hostel: Part II (Available from 12 January)

Beth (Lauren German), Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) and Whitney (Bijou Phillips), three young American women traveling abroad in Rome, decide to take a weekend excursion. Lured from their intended destination by a beautiful acquaintance (Vera Jordanova), the women anticipate a stay at a luxurious spa. Instead, they become pawns in a grisly game designed to entertain wealthy deviants from around the world.

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin (Now Streaming)

This film celebrates Armistead Maupin, one of the world’s most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels inspired millions to reclaim their lives.

Alien Contact: Outer Space (Available Now Streaming)

Many people think of Space as a quiet and desolate vacuum of emptiness, but new evidence reveals that space is rife with activity beyond our comprehension. Just as we sent Voyager and Pioneer probes beyond our solar system, Aliens have probes of their own that may have arrived as early as the 1600’s. While Tesla was the first to successfully communicate with neighbouring worlds using radio waves, we have received recent signals from intelligent sources. In 1989, Russian Space Probe Phobos 2 photographed a UFO on the surface of Mars just prior to losing contact. Scientists have determined that the craft was real and of a thin elliptical shape over 20 miles in length. We are not alone in outer space and while the Aliens may be initiating contact, they could also be here already.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (Available from 13 January)

On Sept. 11, 2012, Islamic militants attack the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, killing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, an officer for the Foreign Service. Stationed less than one mile away are members (James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini) of the Annex Security Team, former soldiers assigned to protect operatives and diplomats in the city. As the assault rages on, the six men engage the combatants in a fierce firefight to save the lives of the remaining Americans.

On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace (Available from 10 January)

ON YOGA: The Architecture of Peace is director Heitor Dhalia’s new film and his first documentary, it follows photographer Michael O’Neill as he talks to the great Yoga masters in India, Tibet and New York.

Spark (Available 11 January)

Spark (Jace Norman) is a wisecracking teenage monkey who lives on an abandoned planet with his friends Chunk (Rob deLeeuw) and Vix (Jessica Biel). Thirteen years ago, power-hungry Zhong (Alan C. Peterson) seized control of their planet Beta, wiping out Spark’s family and sending him into hiding. Now, Zhong plans to use the deadly space Kraken to destroy the entire universe, and no one but Spark can stop him.

For January highlights, check out this video:

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